It ran northeast, with stations at Stratton, Stanton Fitzwarren and Hannington, terminating at Highworth, 5 miles (8 km) away.

The town had been on one of the proposed routes of the Great Western Main Line before it was rerouted south to Swindon.

In 1873, the Highworth Light Railway company was established to build the line, which was given parliamentary approval on 21 June 1875.

[3] It became popular as a goods line in the early 20th century, as numerous industrial sites were established to the west of it at Stratton, including a Brunner Mond munitions factory in 1916.

[4] It was again important during World War II, when Stanton station served army camps in the area,[5] and a spur was built to provide access to the new Vickers-Armstrongs aircraft factory.